Prospectus Hit List for April 26

Hit List for April 25
Hit List for April 27After six straight months of using this platform to poke fun at all 30 teams, I thought we could end on a high note. From the Dodgers to the Tigers, here's what every team has to look forward to in 2018. Thanks for reading, friends. It's been a blast. See you next year.

Hit List updates were published Monday and Thursday through the 2017 season. Data is based on games through the day prior to publication.Teams are ordered based on Adjusted Hit List Factor, a computer generated number, and the author isn't responsible for the order of the teams.

10

8

10.3

10.1

9.9

.560

.580

64.5%

23.5%

88.0%

-0.1%

-1.4%

12

7

13.8

14.1

13.7

.705

.688

59.6%

23.8%

83.4%

0.4%

-2.7%

The major leagues' first four-game winner is Lance Lynn. I'll give you four guesses what team he plays for.

4

6

12

7.9

7.6

6.7

.391

.410

26.1%

44.4%

70.4%

1.6%

1.5%

During one stretch last year, Albert Pujols went 117 plate appearances without homering. Right now he's at 78. The point: Albert will be with you shortly, so maybe the rest of the Angels offense could carry the load for a little bit.

5

10

8

8.4

6.6

6.4

.436

.456

54.8%

9.3%

64.1%

-1.4%

-8.9%

Prince Fielder has two doubles, 18 singles, and two homers on the year. Both homers came within a two-inning span on April 7th.

6

9

9

9.1

10.1

10.3

.535

.515

49.5%

9.6%

59.1%

0.8%

-0.4%

Barry Zito's ERA is 1.67, which is not a misprint. The decimal is in the right place.

7

9

10

9.6

8.8

9.7

.488

.468

36.6%

21.1%

57.7%

1.8%

-0.7%

Cole Hamels had an RBI single, which highlights why we don't we like the DH: once a year a pitcher accidentally gets a hit and it's hilarious!

8

11

7

9.4

9.5

9.7

.551

.571

18.0%

38.4%

56.4%

0.7%

2.1%

With Hideki Matsui now in the fold, unorthodox manager Joe Maddon is contemplating using two DHs simultaneously. "It just might work," said Maddon. "You never know until you try."

9

9

10

8.5

7.7

7.1

.425

.406

24.1%

31.7%

55.8%

-0.7%

-2.1%

Careful, Brewers. Your NL-leading home-run output could give Bernie Brewer vertigo. (Too many times down the home run slide.)

10

7

10

7.3

7.7

7.7

.437

.457

16.4%

37.1%

53.5%

-0.7%

1.6%

From the sixth inning, which began with a six-run lead, through the ninth, the Red Sox used seven different pitchers. Red Sox relief pitching is something you want to be inoculated against.

11

12

7

11.8

10.4

10.0

.582

.562

25.9%

22.1%

48.0%

0.2%

5.6%

Dates to look forward to: May 1-3. The Phillies and their National League-leading pitching staff go to Atlanta to face the National League's best offense.

12

7

10

8.4

7.8

7.4

.450

.430

26.7%

20.8%

47.6%

-1.4%

-2.0%

How important are stolen bases? The last-place Marlins are your major-league leader with 19.

13

9

9

8.2

7.9

8.9

.472

.452

15.7%

30.0%

45.8%

0.4%

7.6%

Presented for your amazement: In 11 1/3 innings, Aroldis Chapman has allowed no runs and four hits while striking out 20 and walking two.

14

9

7

7.7

7.9

6.4

.485

.505

25.9%

10.2%

36.1%

-1.6%

1.3%

Despite ending the Royals' 12-game losing streak and being outscored on the year, the Indians are in first place in the Central division. Hey, if they're going to hand it to you, take it.

15

9

10

8.5

8.4

9.5

.466

.446

22.4%

8.5%

30.9%

-0.9%

-8.2%

Yesterday's bizarre decision to post all tweets containing #GoDBacks on their scoreboard during the game may have been just a ploy to avoid showing the score.

16

10

8

10.8

11.6

11.6

.611

.629

17.6%

9.1%

26.7%

0.1%

4.8%

The White Sox' Hit List Factor will be tested against the Red Sox, but if their starters can continue to hold the fort, their hitters should be able to score on the Toys "R" Us shopping spree that is the Red Sox' bullpen.

14

4

11.6

12.6

11.9

.697

.679

8.0%

11.3%

19.3%

-0.5%

-0.7%

5

14

7.4

7.1

7.8

.360

.342

12.2%

5.6%

17.8%

-0.9%

3.2%

A few weeks ago in this space, I made fun of the fact that Jeremy Hermida is on the Padres roster. Well, last night he not only played but batted fourth. This is called maximizing your mistakes.

19

13

6

10.9

11.7

11.9

.625

.606

9.2%

4.8%

14.0%

-0.4%

-0.4%

Mentioning anything other than Matt Kemp here is like going to France but avoiding Paris. "Who wants to see all those lights? If I want to see lights I'll just go to the Target."

20

9

9

8.1

7.3

7.3

.440

.420

6.7%

3.6%

10.3%

0.2%

0.9%

The Rockies were no-hit into the seventh inning and ended up with three hits. The only way to win in that situation is if you're facing a historically inept offense. Pirates? Check!

21

10

8

7.4

8.2

10.0

.495

.475

2.8%

4.8%

7.6%

0.4%

0.4%

R.A. Dickey threw seven innings, meaning there were six outs remaining when he left. The Mets used four pitchers to get those six outs. The modern bullpen is weird. Also tedious.

22

10

8

9.7

9.8

9.0

.536

.556

0.7%

3.9%

4.6%

0.3%

-1.1%

Getting shut out by the Orioles is a bit like getting beaten at Memory by a 3-year-old. Not that I would know anything about that.

23

5

14

5.8

6.6

7.1

.323

.341

1.4%

1.0%

2.4%

0.4%

0.2%

The Twins got swept by the Red Sox, but in two of the three games they had the tying or winning run on base in the ninth.

24

11

7

9.1

8.3

7.8

.503

.523

0.3%

2.0%

2.3%

0.2%

-0.1%

Calling Jason Hammel a revelation is too strong, but his 25 strikeouts and eight walks over 26 innings are a big reason the Orioles find themselves atop the East.

25

8

10

7.4

7.5

8.5

.436

.417

0.5%

1.5%

2.0%

0.6%

0.5%

The Pirates scored six runs Wednesday, the most they've scored in a day all year. That it was a doubleheader helped.

26

10

10

9.3

8.1

8.0

.442

.462

0.2%

1.1%

1.3%

0.1%

-0.5%

Between Jarrod Parker (five Ks in 6 1/3 inning) and Yoenis Cespedes (three hits, including a homer), A's fans have worthwhile players to occupy their attention while their team sinks deeper into the primordial ooze that is the AL West.

27

6

13

6.9

6.5

7.5

.354

.336

0.1%

0.7%

0.9%

-0.0%

-1.0%

The Cubs lineup has maybe one player who will be on the next winning Cubs team. Which is a good thing, because the Cubs are 6-13.

28

9

10

9.4

8.5

8.1

.461

.481

0.1%

0.7%

0.8%

0.2%

-0.3%

4

14

7.0

8.2

8.2

.380

.399

0.3%

0.2%

0.5%

0.0%

0.1%

The Royals' win ends a 12-game losing streak and manager Ned Yost might be suffering from some sort of demented Stockholm Syndrome. "Sure, it was awful at the time," he said "But..." He wiped his eyes. "I miss it. We just spent so much time together."

30

7

12

10.3

10.2

10.7

.503

.483

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

The 5-foot-4 Jose Altuve is hitting .377/.429/.551, which is the best performance of any major leaguer this year on a per-inch basis.